Last week Royal Caribbean Group revealed in a filing to to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that it wants to bring SpaceX Starlink satellite internet service to its fleet of cruise ships.
Ahead of receiving official approval, the company has installed an array of Starlink dishes to its ship Freedom of the Seas.
According to photos of the setup shared by Facundo Giacobbe, a member of the Singapore Cruise Society, at least 11 Dishy McFlatface’s can been seen installed on pole mounts at the bow of the ship. (h/t: @SawyerMerritt)
Breaking news! Royal Caribbean ship, Freedom OTS has got a set of #Starlink dishes onboard and the system will undergo testing soon, as quoted in a post by Singapore Cruise Society. 📸: Facundo Giacobbe/SCS pic.twitter.com/Xc6eRBNKf8
— The Cruise Junkie (@TheCruiseJunkie) June 13, 2022
According to The Cruise Junkie on Twitter, the Starlink service will be activated soon and the system will undergo testing to ensure it meets the needs of passengers onboard.
If the tests go well, and Royal Caribbean receives approval from the FCC, the company will be replacing its current internet provider, O3b MEO.
The Freedom of the Seas departed the Port of Miami this afternoon, starting its voyage to Coco Cay and Nassau, Bahamas, before returning to Miami on June 17. The ship was built in 2006 and is capable of carrying 4,829 passengers.
